Former Fairless teacher pleads not guilty to voyeurism

A former male Fairless Middle School teacher accused of secretly videotaping two female teachers earlier this month inside a teacher’s restroom was arraigned this afternoon in Municipal Court.

By Doug Staley

Times Reporter

By Doug Staley

Posted Sep. 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 27, 2012 at 2:45 PM

By Doug Staley

Posted Sep. 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 27, 2012 at 2:45 PM

A former Fairless Middle School science teacher is facing charges he secretly videotaped two female teachers inside a teachers-only restroom.

Daniel W. Klein, 43, entered not guilty pleas to two misdemeanor counts of voyeurism during his arraignment Thursday in Massillon Municipal Court.

Klein put a hidden camera, equipped with a memory card, inside a white clothes hook across from a toilet in the teachers bathroom, according to the allegations filed in court.

Footage of two female teachers was recorded by the camera around Sept. 11, court records show. Klein admitted to a Brewster police officer that he was using the contents of the camera for “pornographic reasons,” the records said.

Klein, who appeared with his attorney Bradley Iams, was released after signing a $2,500 personal recognizance bond.

Judge Edward Elum ordered Klein to have no contact with the middle school and set a pre-trial hearing for Oct. 23.

Iams did not return a phone call Thursday afternoon seeking comment. Attempts to reach Lawrence E. Chapanar, a local attorney who prosecutes cases for the village of Beach City, Wilmot, Brewster and Navarre, also were unsuccessful.

Messages seeking comment were not returned by Brewster Police Chief Harry Porter. Court papers did not indicate when the camera was discovered or who reported the incident to authorities.

Klein, of 166 Rowmont Road SW, Perry Township, was employed by the district for roughly 10 years. He resigned earlier this month, with the Fairless Local Board of Education accepting his resignation at its Sept. 18 meeting. Klein also served as an adviser to the Faithful Falcons, a group of students that met before school for a Bible study.

“He is no longer with (the school district),” Fairless Superintendent Broc Bidlack said. “We are cooperating with law enforcement.”

State agencies, including the Ohio Department of Education, also are being notified of the investigation.

“That’s a process that we’re checking out thoroughly,” Bidlack said.

Bidlack said he did not wish to discuss the matter further, citing the ongoing police investigation. School board member Jody Seward referred questions to Bidlack.